Month: January 2013
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Human Rights Watch 2013 Report: Eritrea
Eritrea is one of the world’s most repressive and closed countries. The government of President Isaias Afewerki has effectively banned the independent press. Journalists languish in detention, as do officials who question Isaias’s leadership; many have died in jail. No civil society organizations are allowed to exist. Arbitrary arrest of citizens is rampant, and torture…
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Human Rights Watch World Report 2013
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Eritreans In Berlin: No We Won’t Be Silent
January 30.
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In Solidarity With January 21 Uprising: Milano
Eritreans in Porta Venezia answer the question: what do you call an Eritrean who doesn’t feel the pain of other Eritreans?
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Dejen DC: Forto 2013 – Updated
Eritreans for constitutional governance and democracy demonstrate outside the Eritrean Embassy in Washington, DC. The Eritrean Embassy spokesperson, Freweini Abraham, overreacts (just a tad) and describes the peaceful attempt of peaceful people to ask for peaceful change in Eritrea as if it was somebody attacking Dejen DC. Read her instant classic below: 29 January 2013…
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More Arrests Confirmed
The Eritrean regime has arrested Suleiman Hajj and Jaber Dere’e. Suleiman Hajj was the mayor of the city of Mendefera, and the deputy to the regional administrator of the South Zone (“Zoba Debub”), Mustapha Nurhussein. Mustapha, along with Abdella Jaber, who was the Director of Organizational Affairs for the ruling party, PFDJ, was arrested last…
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Expressen Gets Its Wrong
By: saay The online edition of Swedish newspaper Expressen has an article with the heading (in Swedish) “Ministern bekräftar: Har lämnat regimen”. Google translate assures me that this means “Minister confirms: Has left the regime.” The article carries the byline of “Kassem Hamadé” who says that he got all this information (“world exclusive interview”) from…
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No, Sunridge CEO Michael Hopley Is Not A “Useful Idiot”
In political jargon, “useful idiot” is a pejorative term for people perceived as propagandists for a cause whose goals they do not understand, and who are used cynically by the leaders of the cause. That’s the wikipedia definition of “useful idiot” which is always attributed to VI Lenin. But Sunridge Gold Corp CEO, Michael Hopley,…
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Aljazeera Interviews “May 24 Youth Movement” Rep
Following up on the occupation of the Eritrean embassy in Egypt, Al Jazeera (Arabic) had a brief interview with a representative (Hamed Al Ajab) of the “May 24th Youth Movement”, which is based in Cairo, Egypt. After the Aljazeera journalist gave an introduction to the events of January 21 and the demands of those who…
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Ciao Roma: Eritreans In Italy Occupy Eritrean Embassy
Eritreans for change have been paying a visit to Eritrean embassies…and not to pay the mandatory 2% but to demand change in the way Eritrea is being governed. Topping their list for change is the resignation of self-declared president, Isaias Afwerki, the release of political prisoners, and replacement of rule by man with rule of…
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Egypt Answers The Call: Forto 2013
The “May 24th Movement”, Eritrean youth calling for freedom and democracy in Eritrea, stormed the Eritrean embassy in Cairo, Egypt. A statement from May 24th on the “Eritreans For Action” and “Eritrean Youth for Solidary and Change” pages reads: May24 youth movement are conducting a demo now from 7am cairo time, inside the Eritrean embassy…
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Forto 2013 – Sweden – Eritrean Demonstration
Eritreans for democracy and human rights demonstrate in front of the Eritrean embassy in Stockholm on January 25, 2013.
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January 21: As Told By Official Isaias Afwerki Apologists
On January 28, a representative from the pro-Isaias regime “Eritrean community” in the US made the following “official” announcement at a Paltalk room (Eritrean unity worldwide-EPLF 1). What follows is a summary of the 9-minute audio presentation in Tigrinya. Words in brackets are ours. 1. On January 21, at 10:00 am the Ministry of Information…
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UNHCR Calls For Help To Stop Abduction In East Sudan
On January 25, briefing reporters from the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming described the dire circumstances in the Shegerab refugee camp of Eastern Sudan, which hosts tens of thousands of refugees, and the “rising incidents of abductions and disappearances of mainly Eritrean refugees.” UNHCR reports that the disappearances from the camp…
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Leaders of Banned Churches Hunted, Arrested
The Christian News Network, a US-based news and information provider, reported yesterday that the Eritrean regime has arrested 10 leaders of Christian denominations who were officially banned in 2002. The report says that the arrests started on Thursday the 17th of January and it quotes a source who explains that what makes this campaign different…
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Eritreans In London Demonstrate: Call To End Dictatorship In Eritrea
On Sunday, January 27, a coalition of Eritrean opposition members and sympathizers demonstrate in London in front of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
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Brigadier General Tekeste Haile: Background On January 21
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January 21: A Closer Look
It’s much bigger than we thought. The events of January 21st, the takeover of Eritrea’s Ministry of Information by members of Eritrea’s military for twelve hours, cannot be understood properly unless one has been following Eritrea’s exiled opposition media for the preceding 3-4 months. These include the Paltalk rooms in Europe that cater to Eritrean…
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Achtung: Forto 2013 in Frankfurt
From Eritrean activists for democracy and human rights in Frankfurt, Germany: “After some heated exchange, the group of activists were asked by police to make their way downstairs into the lobby for a major body search operation (to ensure that the visit had been one of peaceful intent). One activist was asked to remain upstairs…
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Down (Literally) With Nevsun
Schadenfreude (ˈʃaːdənfrɔydə) (noun): “malicious joy in the misfortunes of others,” 1922, from Ger., lit. “damage-joy,” from schaden “damage, harm, injury” (see scathe) + freude, from O.H.G. frewida “joy,” from fro “happy,” lit. “hopping for joy,” from P.Gmc. *frawa- (see frolic). Application: I feel a delicious sense of schadenfreude when Nevsun stock goes down. Justification: Human…